


Magnets

by TheGrinch



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning, Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-11-02 18:05:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10949880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGrinch/pseuds/TheGrinch
Summary: Wally's death leaves its scars on Artemis and Dick most of all. They cope in different and similar ways.





	Magnets

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys :)
> 
> So I decided this would be a good thing to write at two in the morning, Lord knows why, but here it is. Given the time, please forgive me for any mistakes and feel free to point them out.
> 
> Warning that this doesn't really have a happy ending, but I hope you can all appreciate it. 
> 
> PLEASE NOTE: The relationship between Dick and Wally is actually ambiguous to an extent. You can choose whether to view it as deep friendship, a one-sided relationship, or a mutual relationship. I don't mind, I kind of chose to do it like that on purpose, so please read however you want to. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and please feel free to review.
> 
> I own nothing, except this story idea.

Artemis returns to the team as Dick leaves. She needs to distract herself from her grief by taking her pain and rage out on whoever the League deems an enemy. He needs to remove himself from the place that causes his pain and rage, to grieve where his guilt doesn’t haunt him so openly. The archer needs this to keep her head clear. The acrobat needs this to clear his head. 

It’s ironic. In that really unfunny, shitty way. One returns to the hero life that she convinced Wally to leave and the other leaves after all of Wally’s failed attempts to make him do so. They both know it. And neither will discuss it. Because that means discussing Wally and they made their choices so that they could avoid that particular topic. 

Time passes and Artemis is almost kicked off The Team because of her over-aggressiveness, spared only because they all know she’s still grieving. Time passes and Dick refuses to return to the team because he’s lost his spirit, they leave him alone because they all know he’s still grieving. 

Everyone who knows tries to help in their own way. Zatanna and M’gann often insist on a girls’ night at least once a week. Green Arrow and Flash check up on her. Black Canary offers therapy. Kaldur keeps her busy. The others all give her space, but still keep an eye on her, especially Bart. Roy or Tim drag him out of the apartment every so often. Batman and Flash check up on him. Black Canary offers therapy. Kaldur lets him alone. The others all give him space, but Tim brings messages, especially from Bart. 

The pair don’t talk. Not really. It works though because they are still there for each other. Artemis visits her mum regularly and somehow, even though he lives in Bludhaven, he’s almost always waiting outside and sitting on the same bench regardless of the weather when Artemis leaves. He walks several feet behind her when she goes to the zeta tube. They don’t talk. He’s there just in case she needs him. Dick sometimes goes out on patrol and somehow, even though she lives in Palo Alto and is still on The Team, every so often she’s on the rooftop opposite his apartment when he returns. She just sits on the same ledge waiting regardless of the weather. She waits to make sure he gets in alright, that he doesn’t need any injuries tending to. They don’t talk. He’s never asked her in. She’s just there in case he needs her. 

They can’t talk. It’s odd in some ways. Kaldur and Dick came up with the plan. They drew Wally and Artemis into helping it come to fruition. Together they saw it succeed. And together they saw what it cost them in the end. A friend. A brother. A lover. Yet, Artemis and Dick can talk to Kaldur, can remain on the same terms with the man as before. It’s odd in some ways considering Kaldur was one of the plan’s masterminds. But with each other? It’s harder, almost impossible. They can’t talk because in the end Kaldur played no part in gaining Wally’s reluctant approval. Dick asked, pleaded, and Artemis, despite being the one to want to leave first, was happy to try and drag Wally back. They were the ones at fault, together they caused his death.

On Wally’s birthday, Artemis is shut up in the house. She refuses to answer the door, even to Jade and Zatanna, and disconnects the phone. Dick doesn’t knock though. She knows it’s him. Years working together has honed them to each other’s presence. He still says nothing. He puts the television on, flicking from the snow day news announcement to a crappy movie, and sits next to the blonde on the couch, offering her a spoon for the tub of ice cream his has in his hand. Artemis says nothing, not even when she realises that it’s Wally’s favourite flavour and neither of theirs', just gives him a smile. They spend the day in a comfortable silence watching movies and in the evening they fall asleep together on the couch. 

Artemis and Wally’s anniversary comes up first and it’s her first without him in years. She spends all day at the Watchtower working, but it becomes too much. Kaldur and Bart convince her to go home, visit her mum or Jade and Lian, to not be alone whatever she does. She doesn’t visit her mum or Jade and Lian. Dick looks surprised to see her, but not unhappy. He calls Babs to apologise and cancel their plans; the redhead isn’t happy but she understands the moment Dick says Artemis is there. Thankfully they don’t have to get alcohol because Dick has a substantial amount in. They drink too much, and half-dance half-stumble around the apartment, singing songs on Spotify, purposefully ignoring the countdown outside. They both throw up, the apartment’s a mess, but neither cares as they pass out in Dick’s bed. Neither wakes up until well into the afternoon the next day. 

The anniversary of Wally and Dick’s first meeting comes up a while later and it’s the first without the speedster there. Dick spends the day at the station working, but it becomes too much. His captain sends him home to take a few days off and clear his head, suggests he go visit family or something. Artemis doesn’t look surprised to see him, she just smiles and opens the door. She calls Kaldur to say she won’t be joining the Team that night; the Atlantean knows why and just tells Artemis that there is no rush. Thankfully they don’t have to get alcohol because Artemis has a substantial amount in. They drink too much again and repeat New Year’s. 

It’s been a rough patch when Artemis visits Dick one night. She’s not in costume but Dick knows she’s been out with The Team. They don’t drink though. She asks him to kiss her and he doesn’t refuse. They wake up entwined and for a moment they’re at peace, almost happy. They’re only human and it’s all they can do to feel a connection to that redheaded boy buried in their hearts. But then the memory that is Wally West forces it’s way in, and the bed seems too crowded and cold.

It’s been a rough patch when Dick visits Artemis one night. He’s not in uniform but Artemis can tell he’s been patrolling. They don’t drink though. He asks her to kiss him and she doesn’t refuse. They wake up entwined and for a moment they’re at peace, almost happy. They’re only human and it’s all they can do to feel a connection to that redheaded boy buried in their hearts. But then the memory that is Wally West forces it’s way in, and the bed seems too crowded and cold.

They still don’t really talk. Not about the important stuff, not out loud. Not about The Team or Dick’s return almost a year after Wally died. Not about their struggles or grief. Not about the way there is a chasm in the bed each time they wake or about the positive test Dick saw in the trash or the way that the archer doesn’t get bigger. They don’t want to talk, so they don’t, they just carry on and hope that one day they won’t feel this way anymore.


End file.
